Chapter 2
Ram : Yummm.. Priya tum itna accha khana kaise bana sakte ho? I used to hate vegetarian food earlier.
Priya, smiles : Maine aapko kaha than na…ki aap chicken khana chod denge..
Ram : No thank you. Yeh accha hai ki matlab yeh nahin ki chicken accha nahin hain. Ek baat batao, tumhari mummy bhi itna accha khana banati hai?
Priya : Ma? No. Yes.. nahin I mean there are some things which she can make very well. But till the time I was at home, the kitchen was my responsibility. I never used to allow anyone to come in.
Ram is smiling.
Priya : Aap hass kyon rahein hai? Maine koi joke thodi sunaya
Ram : Kuch nahin. Tum nahin samjhogi.
Priya : Kyon? Please Mr.Kapoor.
Ram : I was thinking Priya… Ki poori life maine kisi ki baat nahin suni…I was the one ordering everyone, taking care of everyone, managing everything. Now, look at my fate. I got married to a female Hitler.
Priya smiles. They finish their dinner chatting way. The candle is almost over and Ram picks up the small piece gingerly and guides Priya as she clears the table and carries everything to the kitchen. The candle flickers one last time and burns out.
Ram : Sone chale? Pata nahin kab light aayegi.
They go to the bedroom. It's still pitch dark all around and an eerie silence prevails.
Ram : Main thodi der bahar jaata hoon; tum change kar lo.
Priya : Nahinn
Ram, grinning : Hmm..? Matlab?
Priya sticks out her tongue at him, like a small kid: Matlab woh nahin. Aap kahin nahin jayenge. Main change hi nahin karoongi. Main yeh hi pehenke so jayungi.
Ram : Madam, mujhe toh change karna hai. I cannot sleep in this, please.
Priya : No Mr. Kapoor. Na aap bahar ja sakte hai aur nahin main bahar jayungi.
Ram : Toh thik hai, waise bhi its pitch dark. Main idhar hi change ka…
Priya interrupts : No. Arre, kuch hi time ki toh baat hai. Light aa jayegi toh aap change kar lene. Please.
Ram : Aur iske badle mein iss businessman ko kya milega?
Priya thinks for a while : Oil massage on Sunday.
Ram smiles : Accepted madam.
They lie down. The bed is anyways a bit small but Priya moves a bit closer to Ram. She's in a terrible turmoil. On one side is her natural fear of ghosts, many times multiplied in this eerie atmosphere in a remove cottage in the midst of nowhere. On the other hand, this closeness to Ram is disturbing. Its a bitter sweet emotion which she doesn't want to ponder on. This new feeling is irrational; it disturbs her. She trembles a bit.
Ram, lying very close to her, feels it. He understands Priya's dilemma very well but doesn't know how to reassure her. He tries to talk normally.
Kya hua? Thand lag raha hai?
Priya : Nahin.
Both are quiet. Ram is also unprepared for the various emotions playing in his mind. He controls himself with great difficulty and shuts out everything from his mind. Both of them are uncomfortable. After some time:
Ram : Priya..
Priya : Haan?
Ram : Bharosa hai na?
Priya nods in the darkness.
Ram : Tumhara haath do. He holds her hand. Ab so jao. Koi bhoot voot nahin aayega. Main hoon na. Ok?
Priya calms down. Both of them realize what is going on in the other person's mind and Priya knows what Ram is talking about. Safety from a ghost or safety from…. But she calms down when Ram's hand slowly closes on her hand. She drifts off to sleep in some time. But Ram is unable to sleep and he continues to think of a million things.
Crack….. the sound of thunder awakens Priya. Baarish ho rahi hai? She sits up in bed, very excited.
Ram : Haan. Bahut tez bearish ho raha hai. After this downpour, I wonder when the electricity will get restored.
Priya : Bahar chale?
Ram : Bahar? Baarish mein? Tum pagal ho gayee ho?
Priya : Please.. aise surroundings mein baarish ka mazaa kuch aur hi hoga. Please..chaliye na bahaar.
Ram : Ab tumhe dar nahin lag raha hai?
Priya : Nahin, Baarish mein kaisa darr. I cannot explain the magic of falling rain Mr. Kapoor. You have to experience it. When droplets of water fall on you, drench you… ..its like…..yeh bhi nature therapy hai. And after the water flows down to the ground, and after the rain stops, the smell of wet earth…
Priya pulls Ram's hands and takes him outside. Ram stops on the balcony.
Priya goes out into the rain. She stretches out her arms and lifts her face to the heaven. Ram stands smiling at her.
Priya : Idhar aayee na.
Ram : No thanks.
Priya : Ek baar try to kijiye.
Ram : Arre kya zabardasti hain ! Mujhe pata hai mujhe achha nahin lagega. Tum enjoy karo na.
Priya : Mr. Kapoor, yeh baarish aapko Mumbai mein bhi kabhi nahin milegi. Plus aapko Mumbai mein kabhi bhigne ka mauka bhi nahin milega. Please..ek baar? Mere liye?
Ram cannot resist her and joins her.
And he finds that like her nature therapy, her rain therapy is also correct. He also lifts up his face like Priya. There's something mesmerising in seeing a droplet of water fall from the heavens onto your face. Ram wonders that he has so much to learn from his wife, so much to experience with her.
After some time, they go in and stand in the balcony for some time watching the rain. Both are shivering a bit.
Ram : Priya, ab toh tumhe change karna padega. Nahin to you'll catch a fever.
Priya smiles : Haan, pata hai. Bas, thodi der wait karte hai, shayad electricity aa jaye.
Ram : Nahin Priya, It's still raining so heavily. Power will not resume until the rain stops. Tum please jao.
Priya: Accha, ek kaam karte hain. Main bedroom main jaake, darwaza bandh karti hoon aur aap bas darwaze ke bahaar khade rehna aur baat karte rehna. Phir mujhe dar nahin lagega.
Ram remains silent. In a burst of lightning, Priya catches a glimpse of Ram's shocked expression for a miniscule moment.
Priya : Kya hua? ..Kya hua Mr. Kapoor, boliye na?
Ram : Bahut saal baad yeh suna maina. After many many years.
Priya : Kya?
Ram : Apeksha ..jab chhoti thi tab aise bolti thi. Andhere mein usse baat karte raho to usse darr nahin lagta tha.
Priya is silent. But Ram doesn't say anything more. After some time, Priya leads the way inside. She goes into the room, closes the door and asks : Aap hai na?
Ram laughs : Haan, main yahii hoon Madam. The sadness is gone from his voice It's as if he's again deliberately shut up Apeksha from his life after that brief moment.
They keep on talking whilst Priya finishes changing her clothes.
Then it's Ram's turn.
Priya : Par main bahar wait nahin kar sakti.
Ram : Matlab? Main bhi toh bahar tha !
Priya : Mujhe bahar dar lagega. Aap ek kaam karna, main bedroom mein rehti hoon aur aap andar washroom mein change kar lijiye.
Ram : Priya, tumne washroom ka size dekha hai? Mein wahan mushkil se fit hota hoon…wahan mein andhere mein bilkul bhi change nahin kar sakta.
Priya : Accha thik hai, main bahaar wait karto hoon, par aap jaldi karna. Aur zor zor se baat karte rehna.
When they've both changed into warm and dry clothes, Ram suggests sitting outside some time. Priya is also happy at this suggestion. After some deliberation, they pull the sofa to the balcony and settle down on it. Side by side. The rain lashes down accompanied by bursts of thunder and lightning at regular intervals. Both of them quietly enjoy the rain. After some time, Priya's head droops down on Ram's shoulder. She's fast asleep.Ram turns and looks at her for some time. Then he puts his arms around her shoulder and pulls her close. He rests his face on her head. And drifts off to sleep.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
